Wow!

I mean it.

Whatever I expected from the mid-season cliffhanger, THE FLASH exceeded it all. The mark of a great mid-season finale is that it leaves you anxiously pleading to see what comes next. THAT is what happened for this reviewer tonight. Want to know more? You’ll have to follow us after the jump for more!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

NOTE: This review is posting before THE FLASH airs in the Pacific Time Zone USA. If you haven’t seen the show yet, STOP HERE and come back afterward – you’ll be glad you did!

We start with some holiday hijinks as Cisco, Harry and Ralph argue over decorating the tree while making Caitlin feel like they enjoy hanging out the Killer Frost more.  Things calm just a bit…

Then we get down to the action.

Caitlin is captured by Amunet, while Barry is captured by the Thinker!

Amunet wants Caitlin to save the life of a new meta named Dominick. He was on the bus and gained telepathic abilities, but in meeting Amunet was struck by one of her metal projectiles in a very precarious place.  If Caitlin can’t successfully extract it, Dominick will die…and Amunet will kill Caitlin, who is prevented from turning into Frost by a bracelet Amunet slapped on her wrist.

Meanwhile, Thinker is taunting Barry, refusing to reveal his whole plan. Joe and Harry try to track him down at the DeVoe house, but without success.

Meanwhile, Iris is directing an effort at S.T.A.R. Labs to find both Barry and Caitlin, but it overtaxes the resources they have.  Eventually Iris has to make a choice…who to save? She chooses Caitlin, believing quite correctly that Barry can save himself.

Things look good for now. Caitlin saves Dominick. Cisco, Harry and Ralph then save Caitlin and Dominick and take them back to S.T.A.R. Labs.  Barry gets away, and it looks like the Thinker is out of action. Time to celebrate, right?

Everyone is feeling great, and all the prior arguments are laid aside. Dominick is invited to join the West family celebration, and all is well.

You know I’m lying, right?

Barry is called to a security alert at the apartment he shares with Iris. When he arrives he gets a call from…

Dominick?

Well, it is Dominick’s body…but DeVoe’s mind!

We now see where things are going. Amunet had Caitlin save Dominick so she could recapture him…and sell him to DeVoe. DeVoe then uses that fantastic chair to change bodies with Dominick!

Now…what about DeVoe’s now useless body? Well, there is one more use…to set up Barry!

You see…in the apartment there had been one gift without a card…a single knife. It shows up again in Barry and Iris’ apartment…

Next to the lifeless body of the original DeVoe.

Now, DeVoe (in Dominick’s body) is getting away with his wife…while Barry is arrested for the murder of DeVoe!

Barry is going to jail for a crime he did not commit!

NOTES:

• While Dominick got the code name “Brainstorm”, we learn that the Plastic Man code name for Ralph did not stick…he states that he doesn’t yet have a code name, and that leaves room for (hopefully) the Elongated Man moniker to arrive later on.  Dibny is still portrayed as a rascal, but more and more he is becoming a charming, even lovable character.  I’m looking forward to his development through the rest of the season.
• Amunet is seen as in league with DeVoe…but not directly. She truly is a twisted entrepreneur, and plays a major role in DeVoe’s metamorphosis.
• Caitlin begins to realize her worth…and not merely as Frost, but as herself, as a truly brilliant physician.

SUMMARY: This was a simply amazing episode – making up for the “let’s wait for the next move” frustration of the pre-“Crisis on Earth X” episode from a couple of weeks ago. Now that we have seen “the next move” it was a twist that really will change the course of the rest of the season. The field of battle has moved from the streets of Central City to the courtroom…and a Barry Allen who cannot afford to reveal the one secret that might get him off the charges.  I cannot wait for January 16th and the return of my favorite show! This is a 10/10 – but that’s my opinion. What do YOU think? Leave your comments below!

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